Garment parts and foldline-forming means therefor



B. LIEBOWITZ May 26, 1953 GARMENT PARTS AND FOLDLINE-F'ORMING MEANS THEREFOR Filed March 31, 1950 Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT PARTS AND FOLDLINE-FORMING MEANS THEREFOR l Benjamin Liebowitz, Lewisham, N. Y.,v Vassigner to Trubenizing Process Corporation, NewYork'.

N. Y., a corporation of New York v Application March 31, 195D, Serial No. 153,050

12 Claims.

The invention disclosed inthis specification relates to garment parts, particularly mens icollars, and to foldline-forming means therefor, and is an improved modification of theinvenw tion disclosed in my patent application Serial No. 79,757, filed March 5, 1949, now abandoned, for Collars and the Manufacture Thereof. The invention will be described in connection with mens collars, particularly so-called fused collars, which is its principal field of application at the present time.v

Mens co1lars,'whether separate or attached to shirts, are in most instances made in two parts, viz., a so-called collartop and a so-called collarband, each partA comprising generally three plies. In the course of manufacture these two parts are sewn together along what is known as the collar-banding seam, and the resulting heavy; seam I (there are ninepliesvof material inthe region of the seam) at the juncture of these two parts `provides a foldlineguide for folding down of the collartop portion after each laundering. When, however, the plies of the collartop and the band portions are cut in one piece in the manufacture of a one piece coll-ar, which is the principal subject of my present invention, there is no collarbanding seam and it is highly desirable, or even necessary for proper functioning of the collar, to provide foldline-forming means along which the collar will be automatically-folded after each laundering. `(So-called sport shirts'are not included in this discussion.)

In my Patent- No. 2,118,407 I have disclosed foldline-iorrning means applicable to garment vparts and having particular applicability to collars of the fused type whereby a resist material,

or equivalently agthin strip of tissue is interposed 'between two plies which are otherwise fused together, thereby defining a foldline along a narrow zone where the resist material or tissue is applied and prevents the fusion o-f the plies. As applied to collars experience showed,

however, thatthe expedient `disclosed in my patent was not easy toA apply and lmoreover, resulted in a product whose band portion adjacent the foldline lacked firmness.

In my copending application mentioned above l'. have disclosed an improvement on. that ,which is disclosedin my Patent No. 2,118,407, the improvement residing in the provision of novel foldline-forming means foronepiece fused col- ,y vlars comprising a preformed strip of fabric or tape, the main portion of which preferably carries latent adhesivev material; and a marginal edge of which is treated with resist material.

Y VThemain; portion of` the tape is V firmly secured.

1lil

. rest of the collar, because, of itsfour plies, two

in the band portion Vof the collar by the adhesive carried thereby or by the adhesive carried by the lining' plyior both (and by stitches also if desired) andtheresist-treated marginal portion extends-into the foldline withthe resisttreatedfacein contact with the adhesive-bearing lining of the Whole collar. As a result of Vthis structure, the portion rof the band, adjacent the foldline, after the fusing operation, is

stiffened relative tov the .rest of the collar.l Thus inpreferred practice there are four plies all adhesivelyunited-in the collarband, whereas the foldline'portion determined by the resist-treated edge of said tape is, after the resist has been washed out, softer or` more eXible than the are unadhered and only two are adhesively united; the rest of thecollar, exclusive of seamed edges, consisting of three plies all adhesively united. This tape scheme, moreover, has the decided advantage that, with proper techniques, it is easily applied;

`Very .good results have 'been obtained utilizl ingthe tape or strip as described in my cepending application, but when the collar thus made lis treated carelessly or abusively in laundering, there is a tendency for the unfusedregion along the'foldline to spread into the band portion'and also into the collartop portion.

The primary objects of the improvement described herein are to oppose this spread of del fusion and'at the same time to make the foldline determinedv by the strip -still more definite i and precise. Anotheriobject is to provide a fabpiece collar of the fused type.

ric tape whose construction has relatively increased flexibility` in the Zone disposed along the foldline. Other objects and advantages will become apparent .from the followingwdescription.-

According tov my. present invention the foregoing objects'have been accomplished by the provision of a novel foldline-forming strip or tape and the incorporation ofA same in a one- This strip or tape is characterized `by the fact that it not only has an adhesive carrying body portion adapted tof-stiffen the collarband, butV also an adhesive-carrying marginal portion which extends beyondthe foldline into the collartop and which is adapted to become firmly adherent-in this `portion of the collar. vBetweenthese two stiffened portions there is a relatively more ilexible zone which is narrowy but of substantial width and which is adapted to be disposed along the collar foldline, with the result that in the finished fused, -collarthe rstrip or tape is rmly adherent not only in the collarband portion, but also in the collartop portion on the opposite side of the foldline, while increased flexibility i provided along the collar foldline. For maximum flexibility the zone of the strip which falls along the collar foldlne .has resist material applied thereto so that this portion of the strip will not adhere to the adhesive carrying lining ply of the fused collar. Preferably the new foldline-forrn.- ing strip comprises longitudinally extending strands of latent adhesive-yarns ytlflebody p0rtion adapted to fall in the collarband, a ,Zone contiguous with said body pglliipll Which is free of the latent adhesive yarns andwhichis .adepted to fall along the collar foldline, and a, few longitudinally extendingr strands of the latent adhesive yarns along and adjacent the :freeedge of said adhesive-free zone. Preferably the la.- tent adhesive yarns along and adjacent the margin extending into the collartop are ydisposed in more closely contiguous relation than is the case 'in the body portion of the strip. Discontinuity of stiffness alone `the flldln? @1.50 een "be efforled or accentuated according to this ini/em .tion by se censtructins the fabricl of the tape that a marginal zone thereof falling along the foldline has relatively increased flexibility.

My invention will be better understood with reference to the drawings which show a typinal illustrative embodiment thereof and in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a onefpiece collar showing the foldline-forrning strip dotted;

Fig. 2 is a schematic crosssedtional showing on the line ,II-f1.1 of ,Fie- 1 Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the y collar shown in Fig. l showing the different zones vof the midline-forming strip;

, Fig. 4 isan enlargement of the portion of the cross-,Section o f Fig. 2 at which the foldlineforming strip isl disposed;

' Fig. 5 is a schematic pian View of the preferred midline-.forming lstrip greatly emerged, in which theilatent adhesive yarns are shown heavy and theV non-adhesive yarns are shown light; and

Fig, 6 is a crosssection von the vline VI--VI of again shown large and the ordinary cotton yarns .are shown small.

Referring t0 the drawings, a one-piece collar which is generally indicated -by the reference character l0, is shown as comprising three plies, viz., Va face ply Yl I., a lining ply l2, and a baclr ply I 3. Between the back ply t3' and the lining ply I2 is the novel midline-forming strip or4 tape of this invention which is indicated eenerally by the reference character I4. The-lining'ply l2 bears adhesive material adapted to cause it to become adherently bonded or fused to the face ply and the back ply wherever the latter are in contact'wth thel lining ply. The adhesive isY ordinarily carried the lining ply in the form of yarns, such as cellulose acetate, which are soluble in organic solvents and which can be activated to impart adhesiveness thereto for bonding the lining ply with the plies 1n contact therewith by solvent application and heat and pressure in the conventional manner employed in the manufacture of collars of the fused type. Alternatively the adhesive may be carried by the lining ply in the form of a coating.

The general nature and purpose of the novel .midline-forming strip lll-are 'shown and illustrated in greater detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The

main or body portionlllc of the foldline-formmore or less ing strip carries latent adhesive material so that it can become bonded with the back ply i3 when the collar assembly is fused. The portion Mc will in any event also become bonded with the lining ply I2 due to the adhesive carried by the lining 1ply. The narrow marginal portion Mo, also carries the latent adhesive for causing it to 'become 'bonded or fused to the back ply I3, and like the body portion Mc it in any case becomes bonded to the adhesive-carrying lining ply 1 2 when fthe collar is fused. Between the @91T-tions l 4c and 14a is the Zone |417 which, while narrow', possesses substantial Width, say The zone i412 is of such. character that it will not become adherent to the baci: ply l 3 when the collar is fused. This result may abe moet readilyobtained by omission of any advlfiesil in the region of the zone Mb, although `.if this portion of the strip I 4 does carry adhesive the surface of the strip facing the back ply V|3 may be covered with resist material in the region of the none ri-lb. The zone Mb will ade hereto the adhesive-carrying lining ply l? when the collar is fused whether the said zone Mb does or does kynot carry an adhesive, but such adhesion of the zone Mb to the lining ply can. if desired, be prevented 'by application of resist material to the surface .thereof facing the lin ing ply l2. l

lIn the finished collar the body portion' Mc is located in the collarband and is vfused both to the lining ply and to .the back ply thus impart ing increased stifnessto the oollarband. The zone Mb of the strip I4 falls along the desired location of the foldline between the .ool-larband and collartop -portionsof the finished collar, and because at least ythe surface thereof facing the baci: ply 13 is ynon-adherent to the 'back ply` the zone Mb provides a narrow elongated reg-ion along the col-lar foldline which is of vincreased flexibility as compared with the collarband where the body vportion Mc of the strip Ul is located. The marginal portion Ma extends slightly into the collartop portion of the collar and is fused -to both the lining ply i2 and the back ply i3, thus securely anchoring this margin ofthe strip `I4 so as to effectively prevent defusion and spreading of the more flexible zone laterally from the collar foldline and so as to accurately define and limit'the width of the more eX-ible zone along which the collar is to be folded after laundering. In the finished col lar the lining ply is, of course, fused to the face ply H at all points and is fused to the back I3 except where the strip I4 is interposed between the lining ply and the back ply.

If still greater -flexibility along the collar foldline is desi-red then the `zone 4b of the strip` I4 may be made substantially'non-adherent not only with the back 'ply' 13, but also with the lining ply l2 by applying resist material to the surface thereof facing the lining ply.

A preferred rform of fold-line-forming tape is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. In the lembodiment shown the tape I4 is provided with a selvas@ edge comprising a few (in the drawing. two) latently adhesive' warp yarnsAl (the marginal portion Ha), then a series of ordinary cotton warp yarns C'1 (the zone Mb), then a few adhesive Warp yarns A2 (e. g. two) and then a sequence of Warp yarn repeats each of which oomprises two cotton yarns C and one adhesive yarn A, ending at the bottom of the gure with a cotton yarn (it'he yarns A2 and the repeats of A and C together constituting the body porshown tion llc). A suitable adhesive yarn is cellulose acetate. The cross-section ofthe tape shown in Fig. 6 corresponds with the plan shown in Fig. 5. The material marked D in Fig. 6 indicates that the cotton yarns in this portion (the zone I4b) are covered with resist material at least on one side to prevent adhesion between these cotton yarns and the lining I2, which lining carries adhesive substance for the purpose of fusing or laminating the three plies into a single ply. The 'weft yarn is of cotton or other non-soluble substance, e. g. viscose, and is schematically indicated at w only at one end of Fig. 5. The weave itself may be an ordinary plain weave.

The present invention differs from that shown in my copending application above mentioned mainly in the addition of the adhesive-carrying marginal portion *I4a which in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises the two topmost yarns AI along the l upper selvage edge which projects into the collartop. This modification is by no means trivial or obvious.

Any portion of the foldline tape projecting into -the collartop may be such as to be noticed from the outside and hence objectionable unless means are employed to avoid this showing or at least to minimize it. I preferably use for the uppermost yarns AI not more than two or three strands of cellulose acetate, each of about 360 denier or less. If more extensive or bulky construction is utilized the effect on the external collar is noticeable in that it changes the profile vof the collar cross-section and thereby throws visible shadows in the neighborhood of the foldline which are not desirable. However, I have found that by using only two strands of cellulose acetate, for example, each of 300 denier, then the shadow effect mentioned above is so slight `as to pass unnoticed. In other words, I have demonstrated that it is possible to have a portion of the foldline-forming means actually project slightly into the collartop without incurring objectionably noticeable effects, It is preferable in any case that the width of the strip margin extending into the collartop be not substantially greater than the width of the zone which determines the location of the collar foldline.

It is also preferable according to my present disclosure to have the double strand of cellulose acetate yarns A2 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 at the junction between the adhesive-free zone I4b of the tape and the adhesive-bearing body portion I4c. This doubling of the acetate strand (say each of 300 denier) is, of course, not noticed from the outside since it is in the band portion of the finished collar` and improves the adhesion to a considerable extent along this region, thereby reducing the tendency for defusion to spread along the back ply from the unadhered zone I4b of the tape to other parts where adhesion is wanted.

When the strip or tape I4 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is employed in the manufacture of a fused one-piece collar it is located in the collar in the manner shown in Figs. 1 to 4; and the portions Ila, I4b and I4c thereof occupy the positions in Figs. 3 and 4 and have the functions ascribed to them in the foregoing description with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. When the resist D is applied to the surface of the zone I4b that faces the lining ply then the zone I4b lwill be essentially non-adherent both to the lining ply I2 and to the back ply I3. Methods and apparatus for accurately placing the tape I4 with respect to the contours ofthe collars are disclosed in my copending application lSerial No. 79,758,

vlo

filed -MaLr'ch 5, 1949, for Method'and Apparatus for Making Collars or the Like.

The difference in structure between the tape or strip described herein and that described in my copending application Serial No. 79,757 results in a signicant possible difference in use, viz., that whereas the tape of my copending application requires the use of resist for its best functioning, the tape described herein may be used without resist facing the lining ply because the surface of the zone I4b facing the back ply I3 is not adherent to the back ply I3 and because of the fact that this adhesive-free or otherwise vnon-adherent region of the tape lies between reeven if no resist is used between the zone I4b and the -adhesive-carrying lining ply I2. This is because the portion of the collar occupied by the zone I4b of the strip I4 is more flexible than the stiiened portion of the band adjacent to it on one side and the stiiened portion of the collartop adjacent to it on the other side. The tenden cy for the collar to fold along this more flexible region of the tape can, `and preferably should, be furthered by weaving this region of lighter warp yarns C1 and/or of warp yarns spaced farther apart. Alternatively, the yarns C1 in the adhesive-free region may be of Bemberg or viscose, instead of cotton, say denier; these light Bemberg or viscose yarns having a desirable effect in making the foldline region more flexible even when no resist is used.

As described in my copending application Serial No. 79,757, the adhesive-bearing portion of the tape or strip I4 may be plasticized so as to facilitate temporary adhesion of said strip to the interlining I2 in the course of manufacture. I have found, however, that when resist material is employed it is also possible to dispense with the plasticizer and to use the resist itself as a means for temporarily sticking the tape or strip to the lining. If a resist is employed a convenient resist material to use is a water-soluble cellulose ether, which creates a thin strong lrn that prevents fusion and that is eliminated on the first washing.

While a specific form of foldline-forming strip has been shown and illustrated wherein the adhesive is carried thereby in the form of latent `adhesive yarns woven therein, the new foldlinemay be carried by the strip in other ways as, for

example, in the form of a coating; and an inherently non-adherent zone may be provided between the adjacent vadhesive zones either by absence of adhesive therein or by use of resist material. Moreover, the feature of constructing 4the fabric of the strip or tape so that the fabric possesses relatively increased iiexibility in a zone adjacent an yedge thereof that falls along the collar foldline is of general utility and advantage and rmay be embodied in strip and fused collar embodiments other than those exemplified hereinabove, e. g., such as those I have disclosed in my application Serial No. 79,757. When the accents strip --is -so constructed the construction-fof Avtlle fabric in and ofyitself provides discontinuity of -stiifness between the fabric of thestrip in 4such zone of relatively greater fiexibility and the fabric of the strip which is of inherently less lflexibility and :greater stiffness that borders one or both `sides 'of said zone.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a preformed midline-forming strip of fabric at least lone surface of which comprises a body portion carrying a latent activatable adhesive, a narrow nonadhesiye zone of the order of -fa inch .in width adjacent one edge of said strip, and la narrow marginal portion 'whichis not of substantially greater width than said zone and which carries latent acl fatable adhesive between said Zone and said edge of said strip', said zone being disposed between and bordered by said Abody portion and said marginal por-tion, said `strip lof fabric on the opposite surface thereof'being coated with resist material which is disposed along and is substantially conned'to that portionof said opposite surface corresponding to said zone, and said strip being adapted lto be disposed between plies of a collar having a coll'arband portion and a collartop portion for disposition predominantly in the collarband portion thereof with said zone disposed along the foldline between the collartop and collarband portions of thev collar.

2. As an article of manufacture, 'a foldlineforming strip of fabric accordingv to claim l wherein the fabric of saidv strip in the region of said narrow non-adhesive zone 'is inherently of substantially more exible `construction as compared with the fabric of said strip in the region of said body portion.

3. As van article of manufacture, a preformed foldline-forming strip of fabric adapted vfor adherent application between the adhesivearrying lining and another fabric ply of a fused collar for determining the foldline between the collarband and collartop portions of the collar, said. strip comprising longitudinally extending Warp yarns composed of activatable adhesive material along and adjacent each edge of said strip andl in the body portion thereof except for a zone of the order of inch in width which is disposed substantially parallel to one edge thereof and spaced from said edge by a distance not substantially greater than the widthl of said zone and which is substantially free of yarns composed of activatablc adhesive material, and said strip in said body portion thereof other than said zone comprising adhesive free warp yarns disposed in staggered relation with respect to said yarns cornposed of activatable adhesive material'.

4. As an article of manufacture, a foldline forming strip according to claim 3 wherein there from two to three closely contiguous longitudinally extending yarns of activatable adhesive material constituting essentially the width of the portion of said strip between said zone and the adiacent edge of said strip, said yarns not being substantially greater than 300 denier.

5. As an article of manufacture, a foldlineforming strip according to claim 3 wherein the fabric constitutingthe region of 'said zone is inherently more flexible than the fabric constituting the other portions of Said strip.

6. As an article of manufacture,v a preformed foldline-forming strip of fabric adapted for adherent application between the adhesive-carrying lining and another fabric ply of a fused collar for determining the foldline between the collarbandand collartop .portions of' the collar, said strip comprising longitudinally extending warp yar-ns composed of actvatable adhesive material along and adjacent each edge of said strip and in the body portion thereof except for a zone of the order of 13e inch in width which is disposed substantially parallel to one edge thereof and spaced from said edge by a distance not substantia-ily greaterI than the width of said zone and which is free of yarns composed of activatable adhesive material, said zone presenting a resist material on at least one of the surfaces thereof adapted to prevent adhesion of said zone to the adhesive-carrying lining of the collar, and Said strip in said body portion thereof other than said zone comprising adhesive free warp yarns disposed in staggered relation with respect to said yarns composed of activatable adhesive material.

7. A fused collar having a collarband portion and a ccllartop portion and comprising a plurality of fabric plies including a lining ply that is fused to the fabric of at least one of the plies in contact therewith in the collarband and collartop portions of the collar, said collar comprising a strip of fabric disposed `between-and in Contact with two of said fabric plies one of which is said lining ply, said strip of fabric being disposed predominantly in the collarband portion of the `collar and hay-ing a margin thereof disposed in 30- the collartop portion of the collar adjacent the foldline between the collarband and collartop portions of the collar, said strip of fabric being fused to the fabric plies in contact with the opposite surfaces thereof in the region thereof disposed in the oollarban-d portion of the collar and the region thereof disposed in the collartop portion of the collar and being fused at most to vone only of said fabric plies in a Zone of narrow but substantial width bordered by said regions and disposed along the foldline between the coll-arband and collartop portions of the collar.

8. A fused collar lhaving a collarband portion and a collartop portion and comprising a plurality of fabric plies including a lining Ply, said 'collar comprising .a strip of fabric disposed between and in contact with two of said fabric plies one of which is said lining ply and which "are fused directly together 'except where said strip of fabric is disposed therebetween, said strip of fabric being disposed predominantly in the collarband portion of the collar and having a margin thereof disposed in the collartop portion of the collar adiacent the foldline between said collarband and collartop portions of the collary said strip of fabric being fused to at least oneof said plies only in the region thereof disposed in the collarband portion of the collar and in the rag-ion thereof adjacent said margin of said strip 'disposed in the collartop portion of the collar leaving a zone thereof of narrow but substantial width between and bordered by said regions that in opposed .free relation to said ply, said zone being disposed along the foldline between the v collarband and collartop portions of the collar.

nally disposed between said lining ply and said back ply and predominantly in the collarband portion of the collar with one margin thereof extending slightly into the collartop portion of the collar, said strip being fused to said back ply except in a zone of narrow but substantial width along the foldline between the collartop and collarband portions of the collar adjacent to said margin of said strip that extends into said collartop and being fused to said'lining ply at least in the regions of said strip disposed on the opposite sides of said foldline, said lining ply being fused throughout to said face ply yand being fused to said back ply except where said strip is interposed between said lining ply and said back ply, said zone providing a more flexible Zone between bordering zones of greater stiffness and thereby dening the location of the collar foldline.

11. A one-piece collar according to claim 10 wherein said strip is fused to said lining ply except in the location of said Zone along the foldline between the -collartop and collarband portions of the collar adjacent to said margin of said strip that extends into said collartop.

12. A one-piece collar according to claim 10 wherein the fabric of said strip in the region of said narrow Zone extending along said oldline is inherently of substantially more flexible construction as compared with the fabric of said strip in the region which is fused to said lining ply and to said back ply in the collarband portion of the collar.

BENJAMIN LIEBOWITZ.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date 1,254,339 Morgan Jan. 22, 1918 1,668,745 Tully May 8, 1928 1,980,191 Dickie et al Nov. 13, 1934 2,105,668 Lyons Jan. 18, 1938 2,152,094 Rubinstein Mar. 28, 1939 2,186,387 Metzger Jan, 9, 1940 2,197,134 Rubinstein Apr. 16, 1940 2,304,787 Avery Dec. 15, 1942 

